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Most commercials either go for the funny bone or go for the heart. Every now and then, though, some of them go for the jugular.

These ads always emerge right around Halloween—as though re-animated by some Madison Avenue Dr. Frankenstein. While most seasonal advertising can be as cloying as a bag full of fun-size candy bars, the best ads test the limits of how unsettling you can get while still selling something.

Click here to see the best Halloween ads ever (according to us).

Christina Chaey reports: “The MTA’s iconic blue-and-gold MetroCard, wielded daily by 8.5 million New York City public transit riders, is getting a new look, brought to you by retail stores around the city who are turning your transit card into a coupon. Starting this week, NYC riders will start seeing branded cards featuring coupons or promotions from retail stores. Gap, for example, is using the MetroCard’s real estate to promote its newly remodeled flagship retail store in Chelsea. It’s also offering MTA riders 20% off through November 18 when they present their Gap-branded MetroCards at any retail location.”

Christina Chaey reports:

“The MTA’s iconic blue-and-gold MetroCard, wielded daily by 8.5 million New York City public transit riders, is getting a new look, brought to you by retail stores around the city who are turning your transit card into a coupon.

Starting this week, NYC riders will start seeing branded cards featuring coupons or promotions from retail stores.

Gap, for example, is using the MetroCard’s real estate to promote its newly remodeled flagship retail store in Chelsea. It’s also offering MTA riders 20% off through November 18 when they present their Gap-branded MetroCards at any retail location.”

“Who wants a Stylus? You have to get ‘em; put ‘em away; you lose ‘em—yuck! Nobody wants a Stylus! We’re going to use the best pointing device in the world…We’re going to use our fingers.” That was Steve Jobs in 2007, as he unveiled the iPhone to the world. But even five years after the unrivaled success of Apple’s smartphone and its subsequent touch-screen iPad cousin, competitors in the space are still heralding the Stylus pen as central to interacting with mobile devices—fingers be damned. A whole range of smartphones and tablets still come with a pen accessory; Microsoft showed off a Stylus in June when it revealed its much ballyhooed Surface tablet; and only this week, Samsung made the S Pen the key differentiator for its Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet. “The S Pen…really, truly changes the game,” said Samsung Electronics America president Tim Baxter. But even after over a decade on the market, it’s clear brands still have no idea how to market e-ink accessories. Looking back at years of promotions for Stylus pens, what’s readily apparent is how few benefits marketers can imagine for the devices—which is perhaps indicative of how little benefit Stylus pens actually provide consumers. The Pointless History of Stylus Advertising: The Worst E-Ink Spots From Samsung, HP, Apple

“Who wants a Stylus? You have to get ‘em; put ‘em away; you lose ‘em—yuck! Nobody wants a Stylus! We’re going to use the best pointing device in the world…We’re going to use our fingers.”

That was Steve Jobs in 2007, as he unveiled the iPhone to the world. But even five years after the unrivaled success of Apple’s smartphone and its subsequent touch-screen iPad cousin, competitors in the space are still heralding the Stylus pen as central to interacting with mobile devices—fingers be damned. A whole range of smartphones and tablets still come with a pen accessory; Microsoft showed off a Stylus in June when it revealed its much ballyhooed Surface tablet; and only this week, Samsung made the S Pen the key differentiator for its Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet. “The S Pen…really, truly changes the game,” said Samsung Electronics America president Tim Baxter.

But even after over a decade on the market, it’s clear brands still have no idea how to market e-ink accessories. Looking back at years of promotions for Stylus pens, what’s readily apparent is how few benefits marketers can imagine for the devices—which is perhaps indicative of how little benefit Stylus pens actually provide consumers.

The Pointless History of Stylus Advertising: The Worst E-Ink Spots From Samsung, HP, Apple

There are few surprises among the six brands that creative agency types most want to work with in the latest global desirability rankings. But how do those brands create the kind of culture that makes them consistent talent magnets? Gary Stolkin, head of talent recruitment and consulting company, The Talent Business, discusses the traits of idea-first brands. THE 6 BRANDS THAT CREATIVES MOST (AND LEAST) WANT TO WORK WITH AND WHAT YOU CAN LEARN FROM THEM

There are few surprises among the six brands that creative agency types most want to work with in the latest global desirability rankings. But how do those brands create the kind of culture that makes them consistent talent magnets? Gary Stolkin, head of talent recruitment and consulting company, The Talent Business, discusses the traits of idea-first brands.

THE 6 BRANDS THAT CREATIVES MOST (AND LEAST) WANT TO WORK WITH AND WHAT YOU CAN LEARN FROM THEM